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No bail for men nabbed with $6.2m in ganja

Kevon Saitoo and Dawuud Hood, the two men allegedly held with over $6 million worth of marijuana in 26 crocus bags, were denied bail yesterday.

Saitoo, 35, a security officer of South Oropouche, and Hood, 35, a PH driver of Belmont, appeared before Siparia Senior Magistrate Margaret Alert in the First Court charged with possession of 461.05 kilogrammes of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. They were not called on to plead to the indictable charge.

The men were arrested around 7.30 am on Tuesday after the police intercepted a white panel van along the SS Erin Road in Santa Flora. It is alleged police found the crocus bags of marijuana in the van. The men were subsequently charged by Sholto Sookram of the Erin Police Station.

The magistrate, along with the accused, attorneys and police officers, viewed the crocus bags of marijuana inside the panel van parked in the courtyard. Prosecutor Sgt Starr Jacob said 25 crocus bags contained 30 packets of marijuana while the other bag had 13 packets. The marijuana, she said, carried an estimated street value of $6,220,040.

Defence attorneys Ramnarine Soorjansingh and Kris Ramlal made an application for bail.

Given the seriousness of the offence, the quantum, weight and value of the drugs, together with the criminal background of the accused, the magistrate said she was not inclined to grant bail, advised them of their right to apply to a judge in chambers and adjourned the matter to March 8.